Row over temple cemetery remains unsolved; another meeting set for today

A decision on the plan for Wat Phananchoeng Worawihan in Ayutthaya's Muang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya to take over a 26-rai 1,677-grave cemetery by August 1, 2014, could not be made yesterday as not all living relatives of those interred in the grounds were notified.

They also plan to remove the bodies. The temple foundation - which manages the cemetery - said only 200 of the living kin could be contacted.

Another meeting between the relatives, the foundation and temple officials will be held today to discuss the temple's plan to take over the cemetery grounds, where it plans to build facilities to serve ailing monks and visitors as well as support the Asean Economic Community in 2015.

The management of the cemetery is currently under dispute.

Provincial chief monk Phra Theprattanakorn said that if the removal of bodies was out of question, then the foundation - which reportedly collects heavy fees for burial space without the temple's knowledge - had three choices: rent the plot from the temple; jointly manage it with the temple; or let the temple take over. However, the foundation chief Winai Asawarachan said the foundation needed another two years to contact all the living relatives.